text:
How to Appeal to the Catholic Voter
The impact and infuence of the faithful on America's elections.
NEW ORLEANS (CNA) — While Gov. Haley Barbour has told the Southern Republican Leadership Conference that primary voters should not expect a "perfect candidate" or demand "purity," commentator Deal Hudson says Republicans must have a "pro-life and pro-marriage" nominee to attract Catholic voters.
"It's not a matter of demanding 'purity' from a candidate, but, rather, a matter of expecting principle and prudence. It's a matter of principle because the Catholic Church teaches, and most Americans agree, that unborn life should be protected and that marriage is between a man and a woman," Hudson said.
Selecting such a nominee is also a matter of "political prudence" because a nominee who is not pro-life and pro-marriage will not be able to "ignite the Catholics, evangelicals and other social conservatives at the grassroots whose commitment and passion will determine the outcome of the 2012 election," he said.
Hudson's comments came June 18 at a social-issues panel held at the conference under the sponsorship of the Susan B. Anthony List. At a prior conference event,
Barbour spoke to attendees about the need to rally around a Republican nominee.
"In politics, purity is a loser," while party unity "wins elections," said Barbour, a Mississippi Republican.
"You are going to disagree with something about the candidate," he added.
Barbour discussed his vision for a campaign that was focused on the economy and light on social issues.
He argued that the Tea Party movement cannot effectively serve as a third party, which would split the conservative vote.
Hudson, who led Catholic outreach for George W. Bush's candidacy in 2000 and 2004, said the campaigns' focus on reaching Mass-attending Catholics resulted in a swing of 15% more Catholics voting for the GOP nominee between 1996 and 2004.
"That's the kind of swing that changes the outcome of an election," Hudson said.
Barbour also said that prospective candidate and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman's support for civil unions for homosexual couples was troubling and could be an "obstacle" for his candidacy.
"Any time you don't have the platform position, you have to explain why not," he said, according to The New York Times.
The Southern Republican Leadership Conference had more than 2,000 attendees. Speakers included presidential hopefuls former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Reps. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., Ron Paul, R-Texas, and Herman Cain, R-Georgia.
Both Catholic candidates, Santorum and Gingrich, were received "warmly and enthusiastically," Hudson reported.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Catholic, also spoke at the conference.


text:
Start Here – Apply For An Online Unsecured Loan from direct lenders in Maine – Quick approval loans for borrowers with good or bad credit, finance up to $1000 or more within hours. Review our **Disclosures** for specific lending terms and maximum loan approval guidelines.
We help find you a Quick Approval #CashAdvanceLoan from a network of top short term approval lenders, we even help borrowers with bad or poor credit histories, get started today, quick 2 minute application for approval.
Direct Lender Online Unsecured Loans Maine – Online Direct Lending
Most online loan companies can now offer a fax less process to make it easy and convenient to apply for and obtain a quick cash loan. There are typically no upfront application fees, so applying for a cheap payday loan is a simple and easy method to obtain emergency cash advance loans. With unsecured loans now being offered by a variety of lenders, from local banks and credit unions, to peer to peer loan providers, tribal lending entities and cash advance loan providers, the options for getting approved for a new loan are almost limitless. This is great news for borrowers with Bad or Poor credit scores that have traditionally struggled to find lending solutions and financing for loans online. Unsecured and personal based loans offer you a quick and easy alternative to borrow money for a short period of time with flexible payment options. You can apply directly online without the need to fax or mail in paperwork. Payday and cash advance type loans can help you during times of finance emergencies and, but should not be relied upon unless you have explored all of your other finance options and traditional local lenders in Maine to make sure you are getting approved for the best finance lending offers.
Advantages of Online Online Unsecured Loans For Emergencies in Maine
* Reduce potential bank overdraft fees
* Avoid increases in fees and rates for late credit card payments
* Privacy of borrowing money from your home
* Short term and small loans may be paid back quickly
* Lenders are typically more lenient of a borrowers credit history
* Funds generally deposited within 24 hours
* Reduced documentation and no need for collateral
Connect now with multiple online lenders to review the best loans and financing options to borrow money for all types of lending needs in Maine . We work with thousands of lenders accross the country, and hundreds of lenders. Many of our online lenders do not require a credit report or credit history. Yes, it is possible to obtain a payday loan when you have poor, bruised or damaged credit histories!. Our lenders follow the guidelines posted by the Maine , and loan amounts generally range from $300 to $1,500 online. No collateral and unsecured loans come in a variety of options, banks will generally offer unsecured and signature personal loans to borrowers with excellent credit with terms ranging from six months to five years.
Consumers with questions regarding lenders in the Maine can contact their local state governance office or visit online the website for responsible borrowing at Lending Resources
General FAQ To Apply For An Unsecured, Payday Or Cash Advance Loan Online
Applying for a payday loan is a time when you may have many questions. A payday loan is something that can help you get the money you need fast. You can now apply for this type of loan online. This has made it very easy to apply for a cash advance, and you can have some quick results.
What do I need to obtain a new loan?
When you are applying online you will need to have some information present. You will need to prove that you have an active bank account. This can often be achieved with bank statements from your personal account. You will also need verifiable income. You will need to find out what the limits are where you are applying. A fax machine may be used to send all of these documents to the lender for verification. The faster you can provide this information, the faster you can get the money you need.
How will I be contacted to find out if I am approved?
Depending how you are applying for your loan and the website you are visiting your results are generally announced immediately, thus you should see a decision online from the website as well as instructions on completing the loan application process, in some situations you may receive a phone call directly from the lender informing you of your approval.
How will I receive my money?
The money is often directly deposited into your bank account. This money is often received within 24 hours of approval. You should find out if business days are used, and the cutoff times to receive your money the same day, or even next day.
How much money can I get?
The amount of money will vary depending on what lender that you are working with and also what state you are applying in. You can find out before you apply how much you can expect to receive.
How will I pay back the money?
You can have the amount you borrow deducted from your bank account many times. You may also be able to make payments until your loan is paid in full.
Can I receive payday loans in the future?
If you successfully pay back your loan, you will find that applying in the future will be easier then your initial first time. This is something that you can use anytime in the future when you need quick, extra cash.
Can I extend the time of my loan?
This will also depend on the state where you receive the loan. If you find that you can extend your loan, there may be deadlines to complete this extension that you need to be aware of.
What is the cost of this loan?
This will depend on where you live. This will also include how much you borrow and the time frame.
You should be sure to ask any questions that you may have about your payday loan, or cash advance before you begin. Many lenders are very knowledgeable about the this type of loan and can help to walk you through this process.
Apply For Quick Cash Advance or Payday Loan Tailored To Maine Borrowers
Our network of lenders operating online are generally able to work with a variety of borrowers. Borrowers with concerns over rates, fees and apr should contact a finance counselor or advisor. Most online loan offers will have higher rates and fees than a borrower may find by applying for a personal or unsecure loan through a credit union. Loans offered over $1000 are through peer to peer lending sites, which generally require borrowers to have credit scores over 660. We routinely write about finance and lending topics covering a variety of consumer finance issues.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I am in thawing out my hands. I am processing my deer in my unheated garage and it is about 5F outside. Danno was it you who told me about putting rib meat in canning jars with bbq sauce and being able to just pick the all the tallow off the top when you open the can to use it? Was that cheap kraft type sauce or did you make your own? I am about done with this deer. I have a buck tag to fill yet Saturday so need to clear the gambrel. The rut is on and even an old man in a tree stand where I can drive up to the carcass might get lucky and get a good one.
i was tagged out on bucks by nov.9 in georgia (we get two a year) and i'm not taking any does unless i hunt alabama later in the year. i questioned myself before i shot the second one because it was so early in the season. i'm glad i took him now because i've been too sick to hunt for a couple of weeks and he's had a messed up rack for the last two years (leg injury) and i had told myself this summer that if i saw him i should shoot him. a lot of hunters in georgia claim they aren't seeing deer but i saw at least a couple every time i sat and i've had plenty on camera since then. we were so overpopulated 15 years ago that i think a lot of the hunters got spoiled. when i was a kid you could hunt an entire season and only see 3 or 4 deer, now guys are mad if they don't see 3 or 4 140 class (that's a pretty good deer down here) deer every time they sit.


text:
VANCOUVER — Leaders from British Columbia's two major political parties clashed in the election's only televised debate Monday night, throwing directly at each other the messages they've been carrying around the province since the election began two weeks ago.
In a debate that focused almost entirely on jobs and the economy, Premier Christy Clark sought to brand the NDP's Adrian Dix as a leader who would say 'no' to every new economic development project, and who would spend his time in office growing government instead of the economy.
In return, Dix lashed out at Clark for making what he said were false claims on the success of her jobs plan, on her budget and on her promise to eliminate the province's debt within 15 years.
"The premier has 'debt free' on the side of her bus and she's overseeing the largest increase in debt in B.C. history," Dix said in one exchange.
"A jobs plan – they advertised $16 million that could have been used for other priorities – lost 34,800 private sector jobs," he continued, going on to challenge Clark on her deficit budgets and tax increase.
The lines culminated in Dix's most pointed attack of the night: "I don't think it's good for the province to run a fact-free campaign."
Clark shot back.
"What you propose to do, Mr. Dix is grow government," she said.
"You propose to rack up debt, raise taxes and send our kids to Alberta to work."
Though the two traded several one-liners, neither delivered a decisive blow, and many of the exchanges ended inconclusively because time for the topics ran out.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the other two parties looked to make their mark by attacking the leader each saw as their closest competitor.
B.C. Conservative Party leader John Cummins struck right away, hoping to marginalize Clark as the right-of-centre alternative to the NDP.
"Look, everyone knows that the Liberals can't win this election, so you probably tuned in to see what Adrian Dix will look like as premier," Cummins said.
"But I'm here to tell you, you have another choice," he said, pledging to appeal to voters sick of "out-of-control government spending" and "cronies and insiders having the final say in Victoria."
Green party leader Jane Sterk went after Dix – her biggest competitor on the left — on his proposal to increase welfare rates by just $20 month over two years.
"Mr. Dix, you can't really believe that $20 a month is a solution to poverty," she said.
"It's a pittance, Mr. Dix."
But while Sterk and Cummins had their moments, the night was really about the showdown between Dix and Clark.
For Dix's part, he answered Clark's chief criticism – that he is against economic development – with a litany of industries his party supports.
"My answer is generally yes, I just don't believe it's a choice between our economy and our environment," he said, saying that under the right conditions he is willing to say yes to liquefied natural gas, mining, film and television and tourism.
"What I don't agree with is, in these times, saying that we should abandon our commitment to climate change," he said.
Clark used the opportunity to highlight what she sees as the biggest strengths from her time as premier.
"I've been working for two years to protect our economy from the global economic turmoil that surrounds us every single day," she said.
"We have a plan and the plan is working. We're controlling government spending; we're putting B.C. on a path to being debt free in 15 years. I believe that is the right thing to do for our children," she added, calling the election a stark choice" between her vision and the one held by Dix.
Clark also tried to recreate the strong performance she had on the radio debate Friday, by pushing Dix on his changing position on the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
But Dix came more prepared, meeting her criticisms with an assertion that people don't want to see a "nine-fold increase" in the tanker traffic going in and out of Metro Vancouver.
Clark also provided the strongest answer she has so far on the controversy that arose after a Vancouver Sun story revealed she had run a red light with her 11-year-old son in the car.
"There is no other answer for the people of British Columbia other than to say it was wrong," she said.
"Through my 11 years as a parent I have made more than one mistake, that's true. But I dis want you to know that I have worked really hard as a parent to do the best I can to raise my son Hamish to be a young man with the kind of character that we want to be a great citizen of British Columbia."
Monday's debate came as polls show the NDP to have a significant lead over the B.C. Liberals.
A poll released last week found the Liberals had gained slightly since the election began, but are still trailing the New Democrats by a gap of 14 points.
Conducted by Angus Reid, the poll found NDP support is unchanged from mid-April, with support from 45 per cent of decided voters.
It found the B.C. Liberals had increased three points from that time to 31 per cent, and the B.C. Conservatives and Greens had both dropped slightly, netting 11 and 10 per cent respectively.
Conducted April 24-25, the poll involved 812 members of an online panel. The margin of error is 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
With files from Mike Hager


text:
Nov. 22, 2010 — Erectile dysfunction may be an early sign of potential heart-related problems down the road in men with type 2 diabetes.
A new study of men with type 2 diabetes shows that those with erectile dysfunction (ED) were much more likely to develop heart disease, suffer a stroke, or die from any cause compared to those without it.
ED is defined as the inability to achieve and maintain an erection during sexual intercourse. The disorder is thought to affect as many as 80% of elderly men, especially those with other chronic illnesses, such as diabetes.
Previous studies have already linked erectile dysfunction to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke in men, but researchers say few studies have followed a large group of men with the disorder and other pre-existing illnesses over time.
In this study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers examined the relationship between ED and heart-related complications, such as heart attack, stroke, or death, in 6,304 men aged 55 to 88 with type 2 diabetes over a five-year period.
Heart Disease and Stroke Risk
After adjusting for other potential risk factors, the research showed that men with erectile dysfunction at the start of the study had a higher risk of heart disease or stroke than other men.
For example, men with diabetes and ED were:
- 19% more likely to experience a heart attack or other major complication of atherosclerosis.
- 35% more likely to develop heart disease.
- 36% more likely to have a stroke or other type of cerebrovascular disease (disease of blood vessels supplying the brain).
Researcher G. David Batty, PhD, of the Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit in Glasgow, Scotland, and colleagues say the results suggest that rather than having an independent effect on heart disease, it's more likely that ED is a marker of heart disease risk among men with diabetes.
The researchers note that arteries in the penis are substantially narrower than those in the heart, brain, and elsewhere, making them more vulnerable to the effects of atherosclerosis. So for the same amount of plaque buildup, ED may precede other similar vascular events in other parts of the body.


text:
Rugged. That is what divers are looking for in duffel bags. The AKONA Cohort fits the bill. Built of durable PVC coated Polyester, this bag can withstand the rigors of any dive trip, and at an $80.00 retail price, the Cohort is priced where every diver can enjoy!
- Durable PVC coated Polyester fabric
- AKONA Venting Patch allows air to flow and permits contents to dry
- Semi-dry security pocket
- Detachable key chain quick clip
- Adjustable Shoulder Strap easily detaches
- Large "U Shape" opening designed for simple and quick packing and
- Two side handles for easy loading and unloading from car or airport turnstile
Akona Cohort Duffle Bag


text:
Flood Mission
The Flood Gallery Fine Art Center educates, challenges and inspires the community through contemporary art. The Flood Gallery is dedicated to presenting the highest quality visual arts and educational programming for people in the Southern US area, and particularly for the residents of Western North Carolina, a uniquely diverse ethnic, cultural and international community. The Flood Gallery Fine Art Center fulfills its mission by designing and providing art exhibitions, public events, and educational experiences that promote the appreciation and enjoyment of art, support the creative efforts of artists, and enhance the quality of life through interpreting, collecting, and exhibiting art, architecture, dance, film, and design. The Flood Gallery presents artistic and educational programs and exhibitions that directly relate to the contemporary life of its constituents while maintaining the highest standards of professional, intellectual, and ethical responsibility. .
Flood Gallery Fine Art Center programming is made possible through the generous support of the Dan Lucas Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.


text:
The world's largest bond investor took to Twitter Monday to air his gripes about Paul Ryan, the newly chosen Republican vice presidential candidate.
The comments from Bill Gross, founder of investing firm Pimco, show the challenges that Ryan may face when trying to convince investors (and voters) that lower taxes can help cut the nation's deficit.
Related: Paul Ryan economics: 5 things to know
According to Ryan's 2013 budget proposal, he advocates a reformed tax system with just two individual rates of 10% and 25%, a drop in the corporate tax rates to 25% from 35%, and elimination of the alternative minimum tax. Experts say the changes would result in a big tax cut for the rich, and in general, a lot of lost tax revenue. Even though Ryan said he would close some tax loopholes to make up for the gap, he has yet to specify which ones.
So Gross seems to be suggesting in his tweet that Ryan's plan would fail in lowering the deficit, which of course is important when it comes to long-term confidence in the creditworthiness of U.S. debt. Gross would not comment further Monday but Pimco did confirm that the tweet came from him.>
Gross has been critical of politicians of both parties' handling of the U.S. fiscal situation though. In an interview with CNNMoney earlier this year, Gross said President Obama was once one of his "great hopes for change" but is now one of his "biggest disappointments." But his words for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney were even less kind: "artificial and untrustworthy."
Not a member yet?Sign up now for a free account


text:
Devil Rays 2, Blue Jays 1.
We are not going to get fooled in to thinking that Jae Seo is suddenly worthy of a spot in the rotation. This is what he does. He is just good enough, just often enough, that his teams keep believing that he is just about to turn the corner. We're not drinking that kool-aid. If the team wants to say that Seo is only in the lineup because they are not prepared to bring up a prospect, we are fine with that…for now. But, one start on a day in which nobody was getting a hit, is not going to change our opinion.
The more pressing issue now is Carlos Pena. Pena is hitting .268 with 7 home runs and 20 RBI in only 82 at bats. If Pena had been a starter all season, his numbers project to 12 home runs and 32 RBI which would be 2nd and 4th respectively in the AL. Greg Norton is set to return from the DL some time this week, possibly as early as Tuesday and Akinori Iwamura might not be far behind, as he has progressed faster than expected. We would be shocked if Pena is sent down upon the return of Norton (Jorge Cantu is more likely), but when Muu-Rah comes back the team may not have a choice. Iwamura will return to his third base position and Ty Wigginton will shift back to first base. Joe Maddon will not be able to keep two backup first basemen on the bench, so either Norton, or more likely Pena will be sent down to Durham. Of course the team could also try and find a team willing to trade for either Norton or Pena, but that is not likely to happen this early in the season, unless a team loses a first baseman to a season-ending injury in the next week or two.
[UPDATE: We are feeling pretty silly right now. We did not consider that Greg Norton cannot be sent down to Durham without clearing waivers. We also completely forgot about Jonny Gomes (considering the amount of playing time he receives, can you blame us?). Now it seems fairly obvious that when Iwamura returns, that Gomes will be the one headed to Durham. We don't call this "The Hangover" for no reason.]
- Apparently the Devil Rays are moving to San Antonio in 5 years. Ok. We are not even going to dignify this with a comment on how idiotic David King is. What insider information does Mr. King have? The smoke out of his own ass and nothing else.
- The Rays recent offensive struggles can be traced to the loss of Akinori Iwamura to the DL.
In the Rays' first 19 games of the season, including the April 23 victory against the Yankees that marked Iwamura's final appearance before going on the disabled list, Tampa Bay averaged 5.37 runs per game, hit .271 as a team, compiled a .334 on-base percentage and struck out 2.37 times for every walk (147 to 62).
In the next 15 through the end of the Orioles series Thursday, the Rays' scoring plummeted to 3.47 runs per game, their average to .240 and their OBP to .293 as they struck out 3.47 times per walk (125 to 36).
- WooHoo! Let's start the Carl Crawford trade rumors again. They are always fun for about 2 weeks of "What would it take?" speculation and then everybody finally realizing that nobody will be willing to pay market price for one of the best young players in baseball followed by the experts commenting on how difficult it is to to try and trade with the Devil Rays.
- With Jae Seo and Casey Fossum in the rotation, preaching patience with the minor league pitchers is an exercise in patience.
- Unless the Rays find better pitching, and find it soon, the 2007 season is going to look an awful lot like 2006…and 2005…and 2004…and…
- There has been a lot of discussion about bringing up one or more of the Durham pitchers to the Rays and who might be the first to get the call. A lot of people have pointed to the numbers of Andy Sonnanstine, and think he deserves a shot. One thing to keep in mind is that of the five starting pitchers at Durham, Sonnanstine is the only one NOT on the 40-man roster. As long as there are other options, the Rays are not likely to call up Sonnanstine unless they have to, and there is a good chance we won't see Sonnanstine in 2007.
- BJ Upton started in center field on Saturday for the first time in his major league career, and his lack of experience may have cost the Rays the game.
- Rocco Baldelli has 1 hit in his past 36 at bats.
- But hey, maybe he would make a good pitchman. Then again? Maybe not.
- It took a while, but Edwin Jackson is finally realizing that major league hitters can hit a major league fastball, and that it takes more than one good pitch to win at this level.
- Nolan Ryan making a comeback at age 60? Don't laugh, he would probably be the #3 starter in the Rays rotation.
- oh dear lord…WHY?!?!?!


text:
Joyce Hackel
Joyce Hackel spends much of her day tracking down the right person to tell the nuanced stories that help explain the world today.
Joyce started out writing deadline copy from a DC sweatshop called States News Service in the mid-80s. After reporting one story too many about Congressional dysfunction (it was bad even then) , she ditched the Capitol Hill press pass and bought a one-way ticket to El Salvador. There she wrote for The Christian Science Monitor and filed freelance radio pieces from a closet lined with egg cartons. (She also met a British guy she'd eventually marry, but that's another story…) Eventually she became a staff correspondent for Monitor Radio and was dispatched to Africa for four years. She filed from more than a dozen African countries, reporting on clan warfare in Somalia, genocide in Rwanda, and Nelson Mandela's landmark election. She won a few awards for her Africa radio pieces, and in 1996 headed to the University of Michigan as a journalism fellow. Since then, Joyce has worked as a Senior Editor at Living on Earth, and has edited WBUR's Morning Edition. Some day she and her journalist hubby vow they'll get back on the road.


text:
I don't like how black men put so much pressure on black women nor do I like all the expectations black women have for black men. Nothing is keeping relationships from working other than both black men and women knowing what it is to be committed. Knowing what it is to actually love themselves as well as someone else unconditionally. The Game came on last night and Melanie wanted to spice up the marriage by having a threesome. After the show went off you could tell that some women felt some kind of way about that. Ladies you not knowing how to keep or not being able to keep a man around has absolutely nothing to with threesomes. Most men fantasize about a threesome but men know the difference between fantasy and real life. Trust, no man would leave a good woman because she don't want to have a threesome.
First, the shit was just a t.v. show. Stop reading into it too much. Women like finding anything to fill in gaps with their love life or the lack thereof. A woman with an idle mind and a lot of questions will probably be the reason the world ends. True indeed what you don't do or not willing to do another woman will but that's refers to head, anal, sex in public places, etc.
Both sexes tend to hold the other to high ass expectations. We expect more from our lover then we expect from ourselves which is not fair. We both have this made up person in our head that is in fact perfect and compare people we date to this person. A perfect person does not exist and if they did what makes you think they would want your ass? With doing this we fuck up a lot of good things by always thinking that something better is out there. We might take these movie and t.v. relationships a little too serious. Nothing stays perfect forever; you will have problems out of any and everything. You just have to learn how to fix problems. Once we both get it in our head that nothing is perfect and you might actually have to fight for love and to keep a relationship healthy it will always fail. -Dizzy


text:
When I was a child, my father used to grow plants in our basement all year long. I remember going down there in the middle of the winter with several inches of snow outside, only to find tons of tomato and pepper plants thriving under an array of grow lights. I remember how the basement smelled like fresh spring while the rest of the house smelled like… well, a winter home. I remember the deep green color of the vines and how the tomatoes seemed vibrantly red in contrast to the white and grey of winter outside.
Eventually, my father stopped doing this. Part of the reason was that the ceiling in our basement was pretty low and he had to stoop constantly when he was down there working and I think it began to bother his back.
The other reason, though, is that he began to really wonder if it was worth doing it compared to just buying vegetables at the store in the winter.
Lately (particularly as winter has descended upon Iowa), I've found myself thinking about those grow lights in the basement and wondering if I couldn't clear out a spot in our basement for a small winter garden.
The question, of course, is whether this would be worth it. Would I actually be saving money growing my own vegetables in this way?
The Cost and Savings of a Basement Greenhouse
Grow lights
This is where the real cost of the system comes in. Let's say I decide to grow about 80-100 square feet of vegetables in my basement. This could be covered by an array of small grow lights or a single large grow light. After looking at a lot of options, it seems that the best choice is a single industrial-strength grow light like this one. The problem is that such a light costs around $300 depending on where you buy it. There are lower-cost alternatives, of course, but those have their own problems.
This single light would allow me to convert an 80 square foot room in our basement into a greenhouse, more or less.
Energy use of grow lights
The grow light described above uses 1,000 watts of energy. If you ran the grow light 12 hours a day for three months, that's 1,080 hours of use. The energy cost of this would be about $120 for a season of vegetables.
We'd also need a collection of pots to grow the vegetables in. Thankfully, these can be found pretty cheaply and would be a one-time investment of about $100 or so.
I'm lucky to have access to adequate soil and compost, so the cost here is negligible for me. However, if you're made to use potting soil, the cost would be rather high for 80 square feet of vegetables.
The seeds for this project would be relatively inexpensive on the whole, totaling perhaps $3 per growing session (assuming that you're not using heirlooms, in which case this would be a one-time cost of $4 or $5).
The cost of the water would be negligible. We'll figure a dollar's worth of water per season.
The Cost of Ten "Seasons" of Growing
One grow light, costing $300.
Ten seasons of electricity, costing $1,200.
Pots, costing $100.
Seeds, costing $30.
Water, costing $10.
(You'll also need soil if you don't have access to it.)
The total cost of all of these elements is $1,640, or $164 per season.
There's also the housing cost of having 80 square feet to devote to such a project, plus the cost of heating and cooling the room (I'd just keep it at our house temperature plus the grow light), which would add some additional cost to the equation.
Using this as a guide for vegetable square footage, I could plant a lot of vegetables in 80 square feet.
Without getting into the complexities of a diverse collection of vegetables, let's just say I could plant a single tomato plant per square foot and that tomato plant would provide ten pounds of tomatoes. This would mean I would get 800 pounds of tomatoes out of this room every growing season, assuming that because it is indoors, I'll minimize or eliminate pest or disease problems.
This would give me a cost per pound of tomatoes of about $0.20. Compared to the cost of tomatoes at the store this time of year (about $2.99 a pound), that's quite a deal.
The problem is that pulling this off is a tremendous amount of work and planning. I would be installing grow lights, hauling tubs of dirt into my basement, planting lots and lots of seeds, and performing all sorts of regular maintenance. I would easily estimate that I would spend 100 hours per growing season cultivating these plants.
There's also the issue of dealing with that much fresh food coming in at once. Much of it would have to be canned or frozen, adding to the cost and time, or given away to friends, increasing the cost per pound of production but also providing a gift to friends, or perhaps even sold in small amounts if an arrangement could be found.
In the end, this type of gardening can save you some money, but it's going to be a labor of love along the way. If gardening is something you're passionate about, you will save money with this effort. I would estimate that you could even approach minimum wage with it for the time invested if you canned all of the excess vegetables along the way.
Still, the question really is whether you find personal value in doing this. If you do, this can certainly be a great project for an extra room in your home.


text:
With the Twins mired in last place, the urge to flip on the television this summer dwindled to nil.
This is the second straight season where hopelessness has sprung eternal in Twins Territory™.
In June, while remodeling the driveway with the skid steer, I cut the coaxial cable that runs in from the dish.
Because the Twins were on a losing binge at the time, one which would never really end, it took four weeks for me to ask handyman Ken to bring his tools out to the house and splice the cable.
After Ken performed the magical splicing ceremony, the television sprung to life.
Like finding a favorite toy you'd thought you'd lost, I spent the next three nights in front of the television enjoying the novelty.
And then it wore off.
If I hit the one night out of three when the Twins showed some life, I enjoyed the game, but as soon as things threatened to get out of hand, off went the switch.
It is difficult to listen to announcer Dick Bremer search around for signs of life, signs of hope, signs of competence, on a team which is so clearly a flop.
Baseball announcers are not journalists. They are salesmen. They have to sell stuff every time Rick Anderson makes a Quik Trip to the mound, or Willingham knocks a Coors Light "cold blast" out of Pamida Park.
Not only that, but it is the announcer's job to fill the seats at the ballpark by trumping up every possible high point, every little sign of hope.
After a wind storm in August, the television went silent again. "Searching for signal," said the screen.
I let it be. For six weeks, I paid $2 per day to not watch 162 channels of trash. Twins' losses continued to pile up.
Then the hated Yankees came in to play at Pamida Park. I decided to see if I couldn't fix the problem with the reception.
Using my remote phone as a walkie-talkie so I could monitor the TV, I ventured through the poison ivy to the dish and climbed up on a chunk of firewood left there for the purpose.
I bumped the dish one way. Nothing. So I bumped it the other way.
Bonanza! Full reception once again.
What a repairman I am.
And the Twins won!
After over a month of silence, I relished every colorful moment of the televised extravaganza.
The next night, reality set in. The Twins lost. Again. Too many Quik Trips to the mound for Rick Anderson. Too many Coors Light "cold blasts" for the overpaid Bronx Bombers.
Baseball media coverage has changed, and not for the better.
There's just too much of it.
In the 1970s, the Minnesota Twins fan was thirsty for any tidbit of news. After a galling loss, or even after a thrilling win, the radio station returned to farm reports the minute the game was over.
No, not reports from Rochester or Toledo on the farm team, but actual reports on January corn and November wheat. The important stuff.
Today, the poor announcers carry on for a good half hour of post-game baloney where the most useless journalistic enterprise in existence, the sports interview, is conducted over and over until you want to retch.
"We didn't get it done tonight, that's all there is to it," says the manager, clearly longing for a "cold blast" of the non-home run variety.
"No excuses, I didn't have my fastball tonight and I just left too many pitches up," says the pitcher, by way of an excuse. Or two.
The pitcher, unlike the manager, can afford a pitcher of something better than a cold blast even after he gives up a six-pack of cold blasts to the Bombed Bronxers.
Even a win has to be followed by an interview with the hero, who looked so grand rounding the bases but now looks like a bumbling fool as he drops thirty "you know"s to fulfill the reporter's demand that he "take us through that last at bat."
That last at bat is never improved by an explanation from the participant.
If anything interesting did happen on the field that we didn't see the first time, such as the time Rod Carew swallowed his plug of tobacco rounding third and barely made it home, today's players are so trained to say nothing of interest that it would never get reported anyway.
Although baseball remains a beautiful game, coverage of it is not journalism. It isn't even entertainment.
It is about selling.
And sometimes it doesn't hurt to cut the cable.


text:
evolution, concept that embodies the belief that existing animals and plants developed by a process of gradual, continuous change from previously existing forms. This theory, also known as descent with modification, constitutes organic evolution. Inorganic evolution, on the other hand, is concerned with the development of the physical universe from unorganized matter. Organic evolution, as opposed to belief in the special creation of each individual species as an immutable form, conceives of life as having had its beginnings in a simple primordial protoplasmic mass (probably originating in the sea) from which, through the long eras of time, arose all subsequent living forms.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- History of Evolutionary Theory
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Biology: General


text:
This entry was posted
on Thursday, July 31st, 2014 at 7:58 PM and is filed under .
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
You must be logged in with your Arduino account to post a comment.


text:
Sale price
Regular price
I love when I can mix some of my hobbies when creating products!These new pin cushions are a perfect example.
Each piece is 100% unique since the bottom is hand cast plastic filled with custom pigments and fillers and the top is dense felted wool. So you can get a pin cushion that is just as unique as yourself.
The plastic used is normally lightweight, but due to its mass it has a little heft to it.
This particular pin cushion measures approximately 2.5" across and 2" high.


text:
You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'Baking' tag.
Forget April; August is surely the cruelest month. Sartorially speaking, of course. Irish weather has been having an indecisive moment of late, and it's wreaking havoc with wardrobe choices and causing all kinds of mood swings.
And what to eat amid all of this confusion? It's too grey and overcast to really enjoy ice-cream, too warm and humid to indulge in wintery desserts, try though we may. This is where the cupcake comes in, namely a cupcake that is both sweet and salty, a cupcake that is the perfect antidote for a summer that barely arrived before it was already gone.
This week I baked vanilla cupcakes wth a rhubarb compote filling, topped with vanilla icing and salted pistachios. Rhubarb, like last week's raspberries, is in season at the moment and is one of my favourite things to eat during the summer months. The compote filling can be eaten alone or with ice-cream, and can be made and stored in the fridge for a few days. As it's so sweet it is a perfect accompaniment to the salty pistachios atop the cupcakes, sort of like mixing your popcorn and chocolate at the cinema but far, far, classier.
Ingredients: Makes 6 big cupcakes:
Rhubarb Compote:
- 250g Rhubarb, cut into 5mm pieces
- 75g Caster Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Vanilla Pod
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 125g Butter
- 125g Caster Sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 150g Plain Flour
- ¼ tsp Baking Powder
Vanilla Icing:
- 50g Butter
- 100g Icing Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Vanilla Pod
- Shelled salted pistachio nuts
1)Put the rhubarb, sugar and vanilla extract in a saucepan to boil. Stir to help dissolve the sugar.
2)Cover the pan and simmer for four minutes. Uncover and heat until the fruit is just soft, but not falling apart.
3)Allow to cool, and place in the refrigerator until needed.
1)Preheat your oven to 180˚C and line a muffin tray with cases
2)Cream the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add the sugar and vanilla pod scrapings and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy TIP: If you're not a big fan of vanilla or feel like something different you can add the grated zest of half a lemon here for lemon cupcakes.
3)Gradually add the beaten eggs then sift in the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture.
4)Divide your batter among the paper cases and place into the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until risen and golden and a fork inserted into them comes out clean.
1)Cream the butter until soft
2)Add the icing sugar gradually and beat into butter
3)Add the vanilla extract (or zest of half a lemon if you want lemon favoured icing) and blend into the icing along with the cream.
4)If you find the consistency of the icing is off add more icing sugar or cream, depending on whether it's not soft or too hard.
5)You can substitute the cream for crème fraiche for a slightly different, but still delicious, taste.
To construct the cupcakes:
1)Wait until the cupcakes have cooled and using a sharp knife cut a hole in the top of them that leaves enough space to insert the compote. Use the instructions on this website to guide you.
2)After replacing the top of the cupcake cover with a layer of icing and sprinkle over the salted pistachios.
3)Eat and enjoy!
If you're not a big rhubarb fan you can change the filling to whatever you like or not use a filling at all. The toppings can change too, I used Cadbury's Crunchie here instead of nuts.
Recipe by Ciara Norton from The Crazy is Catching with inspiration, as always, from The Cupcaketologist
Thanks to programmes like 'Come Dine With Me' and because of the R-word that dare not speak its name, entertaining at home has rarely been more popular. Stellar know that impressing your friends with delicious food, or being the Suzie Homemaker who brings home-baked goods to the office, is currently en vogue and have decided to offer you a weekly food item, with easy recipes and tips on how to make quick, delicious and impressive food.
This week's recipe is for Chocolate and Raspberry Brownies with Chocolate Glaze. Raspberries are in season in Ireland at the moment, supermarkets are selling them rather cheaply and in abundance. This brownie recipe is so, so simple. It requires little in the way of kitchen equipment (apartment kitchenettes are difficult places to store the gadgetry many recipes require) and the ingredients are easy to source. If you don't like raspberries or prefer another fruit, just leave them out. These brownies are so versatile; you can experiment to your heart's, and stomach's, content.
140g butter, cut into pieces – divided into 120g and 20g lots
220g dark chocolate (preferably 70% or higher) – divided into one lot of 120g and one of 90g
250g white sugar
1 teaspooon Vanilla Extract
2 large eggs
70g Plain flour
120g (approx) Raspberries, dusted in fine layer of sugar
1) Preheat your oven to 180°C and line your baking tray (I used an 8 inch square tin) with greaseproof paper or greased foil.
2) Place 120g butter and 120g of the chocolate into a heatproof bowl over hot water and melt together
3) When the chocolate mix has melted add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly
4) Add the eggs one at a time, beating the mixture with a wooden spoon.
5) Add the flour to the mix and beat until the batter is smooth and pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
6) Pour half of the batter into the baking tin and carefully place your raspberries over the batter in one layer
7)Pour the remaining batter over the raspberries and place in the hot oven for 35-40 mins. They are done when moving away from the edge of the tin and a knife or toothpick stuck into them comes out clean
8 ) Remove when cooled slightly from tin and place on wire rack to cool.
9) To make your glaze place the remaining chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl over hot water until they melt. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, pour over brownies and place in the fridge until the chocolate dulls slightly.
10) Use a sharp knife to cut the brownie into small pieces, eat and enjoy!
Recipe: Ciara Norton from The Crazy is Catching & Memories and Forecasts
We see ourselves as quite the young Martha Stewarts here in STELLAR Towers and like nothing more than to kick back in the late afternoon with a cup of tea and a cupcake for a good chin-wag – This magazine gig is tough, we swear…
We spotted this recipe on MarthaStewart.com and it was too good not to pass on, so if you're stuck for something to do this weekend, or really want to impress your relatives/mates/inlaws, whip up a few of these and they'll be sweet as frosting for you…
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkles, for decorating
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.line the cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a liquid-measuring cup, mix milk and vanilla; set aside.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add half of dry ingredients, followed by milk-vanilla mixture, then remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (a 2-ounce or 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop is good for this).
Place tin on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in tin, then remove and cool completely on a rack before frosting.
Prepare frosting: in a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix in up to 1/2 cup more sugar or a few more teaspoons of milk as necessary to achieve a spreadable consistency. Makes enough for 12 cupcakes.
Frost cupcakes; decorate with sprinkles before frosting dries to ensure that they stick. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.
They should look something like this…Yummy
Don't forget to lick the bowl – that's the best part x


text:
Rock Solid Solar
The energy source of the 21st century is buried in the ground.
Gardner Publications, the publisher of this magazine, is considering installing solar panels on the grounds of its headquarters. The reason doesn't have to do with preferring one form of power to another. Rather, government incentives might make the move profitable. The plan is still being reviewed, but my coworkers and I might well end up with alternative energy in our midst.
Meanwhile, on a vastly larger scale, a different energy-related investment is moving ahead. Caterpillar recently announced it would buy Wisconsin-based mining equipment maker
Bucyrus International for $7.6 billion. The move says something great about American manufacturing. While neither company produces exclusively in the United States, the move highlights the success and future prospects of two American industrial firms whose products are in demand around the world.
Yet the move also says something striking about energy. Government incentives such as the ones my employer might obtain almost always focus on a vision of energy that emphasizes solar panels and wind turbines. By contrast, when a major company, Caterpillar, took a serious look at the macroeconomics, that company was willing to bet billions on the future of coal. With good reason, Cat thinks the power demands of growing economies won't be answered by "alternative" sources, but instead will require a whole lot more coal to be mined.
To be sure, the future is solar. However, it's worth pointing out that the present is solar, too. As one who cares about the precise meanings of words, it bothers me to hear the mechanism of light hitting electricity-making panels referred to as "solar power." The phrase means nothing more than "power from the sun," so our society is already solar-powered! The sunlight simply hit the earth in the distant past. Organisms captured it and decomposed, beginning the process that led to fossil fuels. Using solar panels would more accurately be described as "photovoltaic power," which is a less efficient variety of solar power than what fossil fuels provide.
In the far future, orbiting satellites with panels like sails will capture solar energy unimpeded by air or clouds, wirelessly transmitting the power to the surface. I make that prediction with confidence, because this model would be the most straightforward way to tap into the sun. We just don't have the technology yet. Getting there might take 150 or 200 years.
In the meantime, it is truly a wonder that our planet comes with high-power solar batteries in the form of oil, gas and coal just waiting to be used. It is a wonder, and likely it is enough.
We can and should develop alternative power sources toward the levels of technology they will one day realize. Yet as Cat's move suggests, the push to widely install these technologies as they exist today might represent wasted effort. At best, those technologies can't meet more than a sliver of total demand. Meanwhile, there is still an abundance of fuel to be mined. In fact, as extraction technologies improve, there is quite likely to be plenty of fuel to get us to the time when alternative energy truly comes of age.


text:
1 stick butter melted, plus 1/4 cup melted butter, plus more for pan
- 1 cup grated parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 2 packages biscuits
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 12-cup bundt pan; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine cheese and Italian seasoning.
Roll each individual biscuit into a ball. Dip each piece in the 1 stick of melted butter, then coat with the cheese mixture. Place dough into prepared pan; overlapping will occur. Bake bread, 30 to 35 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning, if needed.
Let cool in pan, 10 minutes; invert bread onto a serving plate.
Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup melted butter on top and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.


text:
Virtual services in British Columbia encompass a variety of different administrative and business development services that are designed to help you run and grow your business. Simply put, Intelligent Office's virtual office services and solutions are an indispensable resource for the modern business owner.
Virtual services, like phone answering, bring big-business infrastructure to all businesses, regardless of size. With on-demand office services you don't have to worry about hiring additional employees, because we make utilizing their expertise easy and straightforward.
The on-boarding process is easy, too. We get to know you, your business, and your clients so you receive top-notch assistance that makes your life easier, not harder. We see ourselves as an indispensable extension of your team.
You need head space, and we provide just that. If you need office space, we've got you covered there, too.


text:
bonfire of Austerity | 5 November 2013
Tomorrow (Tuesday 5th November) The Peoples' Assembly is calling for a day of protest in every town and city in the country. The South East London People's Assembly are hosting a 'Bonfire of Cuts' in Lewisham:
Bonfire of Cuts – 6pm @ Grassy Knoll opp. Lewisham DLR
-Bring effigies of politicians, bankers or the 1% to burn. Will be music, speakers and fire.
Procession against austerity, the bedroom tax and local
cuts – 4.30pm @ Catford Town Hall
-Bring placards or effigies for the route which will pass Lewisham Hospital, still under threat, and other key local places affected by the cuts on our way to the Bonfire.
Performance about austerity politics – 1.30pm @ Deptford Lounge Public Square
Action against poverty – 10am @ Deptford High Street/New Cross Road
-Led by the local food bank
Come to one or all of these acts of civil disobedience against austerity organised by the South East London People's Assembly. All of them will be family friendly, and welcome participation from everyone.


text:
Large Print Song Book
Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed
The Reminiscence Quiz Book
Nature Sound Pyramid
Undo Me Mini Cube
Tactile Sensory Bag
The Sensory Den
Waterproof Fitted Mattress Cover
Visual Effects Sensory Bag
Ideal for group music sessions, the Large Print Song Book contains 100 popular songs so that people of all ages, tastes and abilities can join in. Songs include: You Are My Sunshine, Que Sera Sera, All Things Bright and Beautiful and aim to encourage positivity, co-operation and recall memory.
|Product Purpose
Great resource for individuals with dementia or group activities with older people.
|101 songs
Professional Delivery & Installation
For adjustable beds, riser recliner chairs and mobile hoists we offer a comprehensive Delivery & Installation Service. This option includes a complete service by trained engineer(s) who will bring the item inside a room of your choice and set up, install and give a demonstration. They will also give advice, take questions and remove all packaging.
Once you have placed your order we aim to deliver your item within 5-7 working days. The team will contact you to acknowledge receipt of your order and then again 48-72 hours prior to delivery to confirm a convenient date and time.
Please note in the event you are not in on the agreed date/time you will be charged a failed delivery fee of £100.00.
Should you decide to cancel your order prior to delivery and installation contact the NRS customer service team 0345 121 8111 have your order number available. Please ensure you notify NRS 48 hours before the expected delivery and installation date any later may incur a cancelation fee.
Product Code: E88665
Ideal for group music sessions, the Large Print Song Book contains 100 popular songs so that people of all ages, tastes and abilities can join in. Songs include: You Are My Sunshine, Que Sera Sera, All Things Bright and Beautiful and aim to encourage positivity, co-operation and recall memory.
Product Purpose
Great resource for individuals with dementia or group activities with older people.
Specification 101 songs Brand Other
Delivery Times
- We work very hard to deliver your order promptly and aim to dispatch all orders within 1 working days of receiving full payment for the goods.
- Under normal circumstances all goods on your order will be despatched in full. If, however, an item is out of stock we will advise you on our despatch documentation and endeavour to supply the item as soon as possible.
- Most of the products on our site are available from stock and depending on size and weight, the item is sent out by either Royal Mail or by courier. They should therefore reach you within 48 hours from time of despatch.
- However delays do sometimes occur due to unforeseen circumstances, so if for some reason your parcel hasn't arrived within 10 working days, please contact us on 0845 121 8111(8.30am - 5:00pm weekdays).
Direct Delivery
- Some of our products are made to order and delivered direct from our manufacturing source.
- You can view these items on our website, but these items can only be ordered by telephone and will take longer to deliver, we will advise you of approximate delivery date when confirming the direct delivery order.
- Please note orders for Direct Delivery items cannot be cancelled or returned, unless defective, in which case the item will be repaired or replaced providing it is in the one year warranty period.
Urgent Delivery
We regret we cannot always specify exact date or time of delivery. Please contact with us under 0845 121 8111 (8.30am - 5:00pm weekdays), If you require a more urgent delivery e.g. overnight/guaranteed next day, it can normally be arranged at an additional shipment cost.
Packing, Carriage & Handling Charges
For orders placed with a value below £5 excluding VAT, we make a delivery/postage cost of £2.95 for each order. For orders placed with a value between £5 and £40 excluding VAT, we make a delivery/postage cost of £3.95 for each order. Postage is FREE on orders where the total of goods, excluding VAT, comes to £40 or more. Payment must be made at time of ordering by credit or debit card.
No Product Instructions Are Currently Available


text:
Leadership transitions in nonprofit organizations can be both a challenging and a promising time for an organization. New leaders come in with innovative projects, but often face internal barriers and a lack of resources.
Last week, the Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros (left) in 1979, announced an initiative to provide key financial support for a new generation of leaders around the world to enable them to implement their initiatives.
The New Executives Fund is designed to give new leaders the discretionary support to implement the ideas that got them hired in the first place. It is the only available support of its kind for nonprofit leaders at the outset of their tenure, according to Open Society.
"New leaders share a common experience of deferring their visions because they are bound by constraints," Chris Stone, Open Society's president, said in a statement.
"We want to avoid this problem. Periods of transition for nonprofits should be fertile moments for positive change and growth and help inject new vitality into an organization."
The inaugural cohort of the fund includes leaders from around the globe whose organizations are advancing a range of human rights and social justice issues, the statement said. Organizations will receive a two-year grant, which will be allocated at the executive director's discretion.
The Open Society Foundations have made individual decisions in the past to support new directors, including those at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the PEN American Center this year. The New Executives Fund will make this kind of support a regular part of its mission to help build a new generation of nonprofit leadership, the statement said.
Soros has contributed upward of $8 billion to the Open Society Foundations over the past three decades.
Following are the new Executives Fund recipients and their organizations:
Brad Brockman
Equal Education works for quality and equality in South African education. Brad Brockman was elected to the position of general secretary of Equal Education in July 2012.
Andrea Coomber
JUSTICE is an all-party law reform organization promoting access to justice, human rights and the rule of law, and encourages improvements to the U.K. legal system through research, education and intervention in the courts. Andrea Coomber has been the director of JUSTICE since February.
Soe Naing
International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Myanmar focuses on promoting the health and rights of people living with, and most affected by, HIV, including female sex workers and men who have sex with men. Soe Naing joined the alliance as executive director in May.
Oluwakemi Okenyodo
The CLEEN Foundation in Nigeria was established with the mission to promote public safety, security and accessible justice. Oluwakemi Okenyodo became executive director in February.
Christine Stegling
International Treatment Preparedness Coalition aims to secure universal access to HIV and related co-infection treatment, care, support and prevention services for all people living with HIV. Christine Stegling joined the coalition as executive director in May.
Gábor Attila Tóth
Hungarian Civil Liberties Union strives to educate citizens about their basic human rights and freedoms, and takes a stand against undue interference and misuse of power by those in positions of authority. Gábor Attila Tóth became executive director on Jan. 1.
John Wadham
INTERIGHTS is an international legal human rights NGO. John Wadham joined INTERIGHTS as executive director in February.
Check out Soros, Foundation Center Document Philanthropic Support for Black Males on AdvisorOne.


text:
Christmas Cozy Holiday Fire Tails Shiba Inu Dogs Placemat
- Size:14'' x 19''
- 4.06oz. Material: premium twill(100% polyester)
- ANTI-SCRATCHES: Protect your table from scratches and stains.
- EASILY STORED: It can roll up to put it away, also can be flatted when put out to use.
- ELEGANT DESIGN: Perfect addition to your dinner table.


text:
For the ambitious installation of California Design, 1930–1965, LACMA sought out the talents of architects Hodgetts + Fung. We asked Craig Hodgetts and Ming Fung about their design for the show, which is on view now for members and opens to the public on Saturday.
What was your inspiration for the exhibition design? The unique look pioneered by California's modern designers was a direct inspiration for our design. Starting with a curvilinear, biomorphic shape that is a contemporary incarnation of the principles first espoused by Arts and Architecture magazine, the installation is designed to create a powerful sense of solid and void, and to lead the visitor on an exciting, smart journey through the history of California design. This is definitely not a typical, art-historical survey of greatest hits, but a treasure trove of seminal design masterpieces that will resonate with everyone who appreciates the lithe, sensuous lines of contemporary design. Those lines are echoed in the helical construction which soars through the Resnick Pavilion to gather groups of costumes, furnishings, and printed matter into micro-environments which refine and focus the collection. Visitors will be treated to a narrative guided by the rhythm of the helix and propelled by the energy of the curators' ideas about various aspects of California design history as seen through the lens of those who designed it, made it, and ultimately sold it.
Installation view of Eames Living Room in the Resnick Pavilion. Installation made possible by a generous contribution from Martha and Bruce Karsh
Can you tell us more about the re-creation of the Eames living room? We worked directly with the Eames family to bring to life the incredible collection of crafts, folk art, and found ephemera which Charles and Ray Eames collected over their lifetimes. They are installed in their exact locations in a full-scale reproduction of the famous Eames House. It may be the first time that the house has been paired with its most famous automotive contemporary, the Raymond Loewy-designed Studebaker Avanti, and it is certainly the first time Rudi Gernreich's seductive bathing suit will be anywhere near it, but such is the energy of the show, and the design which has brought it to fruition.
With more than 350 objects in the exhibition, what sort of design challenges did you face? There were challenges, to be sure. Light-sensitive materials needed protection from the California sunlight which suffuses the Resnick Pavilion, and many of the more than three hundred and fifty artifacts required special treatment. Because objects, costumes, fabrics, and furniture were to be arranged according to the themes of the exhibition rather than by category, the displays needed to be adaptable to a wide range of sizes. Fragile jewelry was to be displayed in the shadow of the Eames house, and a replica of the long-gone setting for a Los Angeles Times photo shoot was to be surrounded by period advertising. The story was magnificent. How to support it by design was challenging, exciting, and rewarding.
Foreground: Kem (Karl Emanuel Martin) Weber, Desk and Chair, c. 1938, purchased jointly with funds provided by the Decorative Arts and Design Deaccession Fund, Viveca Paulin-Ferrell and Will Ferrell, Shannon and Peter Loughrey, Heidi and Said Saffari, and Holly and Albert Baril; background: Walt Disney Studios, Library Reading Room (presentation drawing), c. 1939, Kem Weber Collection, Architecture and Design Collection, Museum of Art, Design + Architecture, University of California, Santa Barbara
Foreground: A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons, Sofa and Table from the Spencer House, 1961-64, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Spencer and Harry W. Saunders
How do you hope visitors will respond to the exhibition? We want this exhibition to echo the unique California life style: to be as supple, as physically beautiful, and as good-humored as the surfer featured in John Van Hamersveld's Endless Summer poster; to be as disciplined and graphically sophisticated as Ray Eames' covers for Arts and Architecture magazine; and as accessible as Saul Bass's advertisement for The Man with the Golden Arm. This is a populist show, designed to echo and magnify the great design tradition which began in California, and is now the standard of the world. Scott Tennent


text:
Explainer: 12 hit toys of Christmases past
The new video game systems Microsoft Kinect and PlayStation Move will almost certainly be huge sellers — the toys most likely to cause a panic among eager shoppers over the next month.
(Mnsbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)
Then again, the media darling this Christmas could just as easily be a bizarre-looking ball of fur that spouts insults in a made-up language. That's the fun of hot holiday toys. No one knows that a Furby doll or a Tickle Me Elmo will cause otherwise rational shoppers to trample their fellow man until the free market decides for itself.
Here are a dozen of the most popular, groundbreaking and notorious holiday toys from the past 80 years. We looked beyond the most famous toys of all time, choosing items that peaked in popularity just before the holiday season, experienced shortages around Christmas and in many cases quickly fell out of favor after the hype was over. (Which explains why Teddy Ruxpin made this list, while Barbie dolls and hula hoops didn't.)
Also included is the original retail price was included for each toy, and what collectors are asking for the toy on eBay. (A median price was chosen in most cases.) As you'll see, it's much better to have a "Star Wars" action figure in its original packaging than a Zhu Zhu Pet …
Shirley Temple doll (1934)
The hype: Who can we blame for the holiday toy madness that makes children and parents insane around the holidays? Shirley Temple. The first celebrity-driven doll was manufactured by The Ideal Toy and Novelty Company when Temple was 6 years old, in the third year of her movie career. The demand became huge after the child actor's breakout film, "Bright Eyes," was released three days before Christmas. Ideal sold a reported $45 million worth of Shirley Temple dolls in seven years.
Price in 1934: $2.89 to $5.79
eBay price in 2010: $1,545.50
Bet you didn't know … While the actress was the model for the doll, Ideal didn't think to put Temple's name on the package until after the first generation.
Where are they now? Sales continued until 1941, with several re-releases during the past 70 years.
Chatty Cathy (1960)
The hype: In a move that charmed a generation of young girls — and a few future horror film directors — the Mattel Corporation put a phonograph in an otherwise unremarkable doll, allowing her to say 11 different lines when a ring was pulled. The two neediest lines: "Do you love me?" and "Please brush my hair!" Cathy was the inspiration for the Talking Tina doll ("I'm Talking Tina and I'm going to kill you") in a memorable 1963 episode of "The Twilight Zone."
Price in 1960: $19.90
eBay price in 2010: $195.00
Bet you didn't know … A 1969 reissue used the voice of Maureen McCormick from "The Brady Bunch." Voice actress June Foray provided the voices of both Chatty Cathy and Talking Tina.
Where are they now? Sales continued until 1965, with updates in the 1970s and 1980s. Most surviving Chatty Cathys are mute; several of the vital mechanisms weren't built to last.
G.I. Joe (1964)
The hype: After watching the Barbie line of toys become a market force, Hasbro came up with G.I. Joe, a foot-tall military action figure (don't call it a doll!) with a name inspired by the 1945 movie "The Story of G.I. Joe." The figures came with names like "Ace" and "Rocky," and didn't have much variety — developing scuba diving, astronaut and other themes in subsequent years. The figures were in huge demand out of the gate, making a then-impressive $16.9 million in sales in 1964.
Price in 1964: $4
eBay price in 2010: $210
Bet you didn't know … The makers of G.I. Joe owe a lot to "Star Wars" for their longevity. The much derided 3 3/4-inch G.I. Joe figures released in 1982 were a huge hit, no doubt from kids used to collecting similarly sized "Star Wars" figures.
Where are they now? The G.I. Joe franchise does well in times of peace and poorly in times of war. Sales suffered during the Vietnam War, but the doll made a comeback in the 1980s — and again after the release of last year's live action "G.I. Joe" movie.
"Star Wars" action figures (1977)
The hype: Whatever you think about his movies, George Lucas was a marketing genius. Since toymaker Kenner didn't have time to manufacture more than a few coloring books and board games after the surprise success of "Star Wars," Lucas still made millions selling vouchers for 3 3/4-inch tall action figures. Bright-eyed children on Christmas morning unwrapped something called an "Early Bird Certificate Package," with information about the figures they would receive in a few months, but no actual toy. Original figures ranged from the obvious (Darth Vader) to the obscure (Death Star Commander).
Price in 1977: $2.79
eBay price in 2010: $3.99 to $1,200
Bet you didn't know … More than three decades later, two of the most valuable action figures are manufacturing screw-ups: a Luke Skywalker with brown hair and a Han Solo whose head is too small.
Where are they now? "Star Wars" is arguably bigger than ever, with help from "The Clone Wars" cartoon series. Most of the 12 original figures have been re-released in a "Star Wars" classics line.
Cabbage Patch Kids (1983)
The hype: Up until this point, there had been fad toys, but people had mostly acted like members of a civilized society in their quest for them. That all ended in 1983, when Coleco's Cabbage Patch Kids became a huge media-fueled hit, causing a mad scramble for the few million of pudgy-cheeked dolls that were produced before Christmas. Demand from children who wanted to "adopt" a doll led to adult fistfights and price gouging, with some Cabbage Patch Kids selling on the black market for 10 times their retail price. The fad got even bigger the next year; 18 million Cabbage Patch Kids were sold in 1984.
Price in 1982: $25
eBay price in 2010: $7.99 to $499
Bet you didn't know … One subsequent high-profile failure for the franchise was the Talking Cabbage Patch Kids, which used new technology that allowed more than one doll to converse with one another.
Where are they now? Coleco went bankrupt in 1988, mostly because of failed video game and computer ventures. Cabbage Patch Kids are still sold by Play Around.
Transformers (1984)
The hype: This cartoon about warring factions of anthropomorphic robots from outer space was hugely popular, aided by a barrage of commercials containing one of the most insidious earworms in history ("Transformers! More than meets the eeeeeeye …"). Hasbro created a full line of toys, but demand quickly exceeded supply during the holiday season. After honing their retail-fu skills during the Cabbage Patch Kid craze, parents fought like Autobots and Decepticons for the remaining toys. Hasbro watched its shares rise from $23 to $60 in 1984. Hasbro shipped an estimated $80 million worth of Transformers for the year.
Price in 1984: $2.99 to $27.99
eBay price in 2010: $1.99 to $1,495
Bet you didn't know … Among the voice-over artists in the early cartoons and movies: Scatman Crothers and Marlon Brando.
Where are they now? The toys never went away, but didn't reach the A-list again until Michael Bay's 2007 live action "Transformers" movie scored big.
Teddy Ruxpin (1985)
The hype: If you couldn't make a single friend in elementary school, your parents could buy you a Teddy Ruxpin. The brainchild on a Disney Imagineer named Ken Forsse, the talking bear and his friends were home versions of the animatronic puppets kids saw at theme parks and pizza parlors. Worlds of Wonder sold 800,000 Teddy Ruxpin dolls in 1985 — which were fetching double or triple their already steep price because of shortages around the holidays.
Price in 1985: $68
eBay price in 2010: 99 cents to $71
Bet you didn't know … Many of the first generation Teddy Ruxpins arrived with a glitch, speaking in a disturbing gibberish. Teddy Ruxpin was recalled the following year, with more than 12,000 returned as defective.
Where are they now? Worlds of Wonder went bankrupt in 1988. Hong Kong-based Backpack Toys manufactures a relatively small number of Teddy Ruxpin accessories through 2010.
Tickle Me Elmo (1996)
The hype: Elmo had long since ousted Grover as the Alpha Male of "Sesame Street," and was a steady merchandise boon for Tyco Toys and Children's Television Workshop. But no one predicted the runaway success of Tickle Me Elmo, which is a close second to the Cabbage Patch Kids in the history of holiday hype. The injuries were plentiful (one store worker broke a rib during a stampede) and reports of 600 percent markups or more weren't unusual. Faith in humanity was occasionally restored, too, with many reports of Tickle Me Elmos getting auctioned off for good causes.
Price in 1996: $27.99
eBay price in 2010: $9.60
Bet you didn't know … One later generation Tickle Me Elmo doll worked like a Willy Wonka golden ticket, programmed to tell the owner that they won a $200,000 prize.
Where are they now? Mattel bought out Tyco and has kept the brand alive, most notably with the 2006 release Tickle Me Elmo Extreme, which moves so convincingly that it appeared to be possessed.
Beanie Babies (1996)
The hype: If you were the parent of a small child in 1996, and had a hard time saying no to your kid, chances are good you spent hours going from store to store looking for Bongo the Monkey or Tusk the Walrus. Developed earlier in the 1990s, Beanie Babies were doing fine as a business — but became a huge phenomenon after salesman H. Ty Warner got the brilliant idea to "retire" some of his already successful babies, making them valuable on the collectible market. With consumers combing stores looking for the rare ones (and often settling for more common new Beanie Babies) during the holidays, the company ended 1996 with $250 million in sales.
Price in 1964: $4.95
eBay price in 2010: $4.99 (the rarest Beanie Babies go for as high as $5,000)
Bet you didn't know … Among the Beanie Baby tribute dolls were a Jerry Garcia tie-dyed bear, and a Diana tribute bear that was released after the Princess of Wales' 1997 death.
Where are they now? Beanie Babies have come and gone over the years, occasionally showing up in fast food kid meals or to promote a brand such as SpongeBob Squarepants.
Furby (1998)
The hype: The Furby was like having a cross between a Teddy Ruxpin and a foreign exchange student in your home. The owl/hamster hybrid, which came in different shapes and colors, came out of the box speaking an unidentifiable language ("wee tee kah wah tee" = "sing me a song") and slowly learned English. They were an early holiday phenomenon, hyped constantly on television newscasts. Tiger Electronics could only produce about 2 million — far fewer Furbys than children wanted — but came back to sell 14 million in 1999.
Price in 1998: $35
eBay price in 2010: $11.51
Bet you didn't know … The second-most searched Furby site on Google is www.phobe.com/furby, which shows the result of a customer's autopsy he conducted on his "dead" toy.
Where are they now? The original Furby was discontinued in 2000. An upgraded Furby that could carry on a conversation was produced from 2005-2007.
Nintendo Wii (2006)
The hype: The Nintendo Wii had a cool new motion-sensing wand, but its graphics and family-friendly games looked quaint compared to the high-powered Xbox 360 (already one year old) and PlayStation 3. The U.S. media initially hyped the PS3, but by Christmas the Wii was a much harder system to find. Wii-hungry gamers waited in long lines at retail stores that were receiving only a few units each, and shortages continued throughout the following year. Nintendo sold about 3 million units worldwide by Christmas 2006, and another 17 million in 2007.
Price in 2006: $249
eBay price in 2010: $120
Bet you didn't know … Shortly after the console was released, Wii players started complaining about a variation of tennis elbow. Wii-itis has been written about both in the New England Journal of Medicine and WebMD.
Where are they now? The Wii claims to hold a worldwide lead in sales over the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but will face a new challenge this year as both systems release their own motion-sensing game controller updates.
Zhu Zhu Pets (2009)
The hype: The Zhu Zhu pets didn't reach Cabbage Patch Kid or Tickle Me Elmo levels of consumer mayhem. Unlike many holiday toy makers of the past, Cepia LLC of China was able to ship millions of Zhu Zhu pets a few days before Christmas, no doubt averting several riots at Wal-Marts throughout the country. Cepia estimated $70 million in sales in 2009, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Hopefully toy makers are starting to see a pattern here: while it's impossible to predict the most-hyped toy of the season, it's always good to invent something that will look cute when consumer reporters and anchors play with it on the morning TV news.
Price in 2009: $10
eBay price in 2010: $12
Bet you didn't know … A consumer group suggested that one of the pets, Mr. Squiggles, had a dangerously high level of the metal antimony. Cepia rejected the claim and sales of the Zhu Zhu Pets did not flag.
Where are they now? Probably stuck under your couch. (Zhu Zhu pets and related accessories are still being manufactured.)
Peter Hartlaub is the pop culture critic for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Data: Latest rates in the US
|Mortgage rates
|View rates in your area
|Mortgage type
|30 yr fixed mtg
|15 yr fixed mtg
|30 yr fixed jumbo mtg
|Auto rates
|View rates in your area
|Auto type
|48 month new car loan
|36 month used car loan
|36 month new car loan
|Home equity rates
|View rates in your area
|Home equity type
|$30K home equity loan FICO
|$75K home equity loan FICO
|Credit card rates
|View more rates
|Card type
|Last Week
|Low Interest Cards
|Cash Back Cards
|Rewards Cards
|Savings rates
|View rates in your area
|Savings type
|Money market account
|$10K Money market account
|6 month CD